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Hitting The High Notes: Burlington Distinction

BOSTON (CBS) - What do Steven Tyler, Bill Clinton, Stephen Spielberg and Jennifer Garner all have in common? They were all once members of a high school marching band. In part three of WBZ Mary Blake's Music Series- "Music Education: Hitting the High Notes" she takes a look at the benefits of being in the band.

Marching and Chanting... "Beat down...hut ten...put all your feet together...with pride, with pride!"

The Burlington High School Band plays their final cheer as marchers wrapped up field practice before a recent Friday night football game. Steven Gelburg is the leader of the student band; his instrument is the baritone saxophone. "We don't really call ourselves a band team. We call ourselves a band family. And, I think it's that bond between all, I'd say, 130 of us that really just makes the band really special for each and every person."

Vanessa Ovian's three children attended Burlington schools. Now they are in their twenties. They all either sang, played piano or took up the trumpet. As a booster parent, she found that many kids just needed to feel they are a part of something and music fulfills that. "It also develops their own presence, and who they are and their ability to get up in front of people and perform and introduce."

Across town at the Fox Hill Elementary School, 4th grade music teacher Jeannie Coriniti has her students get up and MOVE at the beginning of every class. She has been teaching music for 38 years. "My basic philosophy, whether it's moving, singing, instruments, whatever, is that children experience joy in music. That's the fundamental for me, and some children experience it through movement. Others will experience it through singing. So my goal is to find what it is that excites them. Which part of music excites them. So I try to cover that in all of my classes."

Student Anya Mather says Mrs. Coriniti's class helps her a lot. "I play the piano and it teaches me new notes on the piano. It's really fun... and I really like to sing."

And of course, the students have personal favorites. "I would rather do Through the Dark by One Direction or country."

Not through the dark, but "Illumination" was on the minds of students in the Franklin High School band.

"Illumination," is an original piece of music commissioned by the school, and the composer on hand for the dress rehearsal, that's coming up next in Part 4.

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